9 Crimes
by thespeedforce4
Summary: Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Wife


**9 Crimes**  
season two – pre-undercover mission

not smut

* * *

_give my gun away when it's loaded_  
_if you don't shoot it, how am I supposed to hold it?_  
_is that alright?_  
_no._

* * *

**Commandment Nine**  
**Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Wife**

* * *

He kissed her. Her lips, her jaw line, her neck, her collarbone. He melted into her, smirking through their kisses at the goosebumps he gave her. He loved the way she reacted to him.

He committed her to his memory, branding every part of her into him. Her scent, the indent in her lips from her constant gnawing, the way the sweat on her skin weighed down her blonde hair and allowed him to slid effortlessly over her body. His hands roamed over her every curve. _God_, he loved her.

The dim lighting silhouetted the pair on a lush sofa. They were all hands, tangled blankets and sweet nothings. The television was on and silently displayed a football game – but neither paid it attention. All of their thoughts were on the other, if they were thinking at all. He caught her lower lip in his teeth as her hips hitched up to dig into his. A soft sigh escaped her and she froze.

Fire red and emerald green rushed to the front of her mind and burned itself into her eyelids. _Wally_.

A strong shove brought her back to reality. Dick placed both of his hands on either side of her face. "Artemis? Baby, are you alright?" His baby blues searched her grays before sweeping the rest of her body, looking desperately for whatever caused her to hesitate. She hated the warmth in her gut caused by his concerned expression and the love in his eyes. She hated the heat between her legs that was mercilessly telling her to forget it and keep going. She hated herself for feeling this way and doing this to him.

For a moment she didn't answer. Her eyes scanned his face, squinting in the dark room. The lighting varied depending on what was on the screen, but he was close enough for her to see every detail on his sharp face. High cheekbones, clenched jaw, furrowed brow, black hair that hung near honest eyes. Caring eyes.

They were the purest blue she had ever seen. Calm, safe and light. For a moment she thought of green and she wanted to throw up.

Artemis swallowed and nodded. She was always a lousy liar, but sometimes she wasn't sure if she was lying anymore. Before Dick could call her out on it she pushed herself forward and kissed him with reckless abandon. She clawed at his scalp and pulled him flush against herself.

She held in a growl at the loss of his touch when Dick pushed her back. "I'm sending Kaldur in undercover." When the blonde didn't say anything he continued, "I want to send you in, too."

Artemis stared at him, looking for the joking glint in his eyes or a smirk playing on his swollen lips but found none. "Send me in? Undercover?"

Dick gave her a small smile, "You're ready and Kaldur will be more successful with someone with your experience. We can fake your death and you can take up another alias-" he was getting excited, almost giddy, but she wasn't sure how to feel.

Fake her own death? What about her mother? And Lian?

"Dick." She stopped him, "I can't." She stood up from the sofa and ran a hand through her matted hair. _Fake her own death_? No matter what way she said it, the idea didn't become any easier. There was no going back from that. Dick quickly stood up next to her and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Baby," he cooed, "don't cry." She could hear the desperation and raw emotion in his voice and her stomach clenched.

Artemis pulled her hand from her hair and brushed it across her cheek. She gasped when she was met with hot tears. She turned herself around to face him. "Dick-"

"We can be together." Artemis felt her heart flutter. He grabbed her hands and held them to his heart. "_We can be together, _Artemis. Me and You against the world." The archer was now completely aware of the tears that tracked down her cheeks. She had thought of running away with him, so many times she planned their escape but she never thought they would act on it. "I love you," his voice cracked. "To the moon and back." His eyes burned into hers expectantly. Her mouth fell open into a small 'o' but she said nothing. Slowly Dick nodded and gently brushed his lips against her knuckles before letting go of her hands. He turned away from her and Artemis' heart bled through her chest.

"To the sun and above," she whispered. Artemis couldn't help the small smile on her face.

**_is that alright, yea?_**

"I'm not happy about this," Wally sighed. He sat on their faded yellow couch that the blonde hated. She threatened to burn it on numerous occasions but he managed to keep it out of her grasp.

"As I recall, you were wearing the yellow-and-red just a few weeks ago," Artemis pointed out with a half-hearted smirk.

"That was an emergency," Wally frowned. "I was needed."

"Well," Artemis tried to keep the irritation out of her voice. "I'm needed now." She grabbed her black dufflebag and slung it over her shoulder. She took a look around the modest-sized Palo Alto apartment. She almost felt guilty when no feeling of sorrow flooded her heart like she had expected. She was just numb; but she couldn't figure out if it was a bad thing or not.

Wally stood next to her but he wouldn't meet her eyes. A million thoughts clouded his mind at a hundred miles an hour and he wasn't seeing clearly anymore. There was a voice in his head that whispered to him. '_Stop holding on to something that isn't there_.' but the voice was so clear he could have sworn it was Artemis herself speaking.

The only problem was, Wally wasn't ready to cut the line - the line that as far as Artemis was concerned had already been severed. He didn't know how to feel, so he resorted to the emotion that screamed the loudest. Anger. "He shouldn't need you. He's my best friend. He knows we're trying to leave the life behind."

The archer sighed. "Don't blame Di-Nightwing. The decision was mine." She was tempted to drop her bag and run her hands through his cropped red hair but the thought of Dick's shaggy black hair kept her from doing so. Touching Wally almost felt disloyal. It was sickening. In a lame attempt at a joke she added, "babe, you're freaking out over nothing. What could go wrong?"

Wally sighed and clenched his jaw. His eyes glared into her gray ones. The usual glow was gone - they were distant and dull. Wally couldn't help but think that his eyes looked the same. But still he held her gaze looking for a spark of life. Something that gave him the hope that she still loved him, but he was met with a far away gaze and it hurt himself to admit that he was used to that by now.

He wanted to yell at her; to scream into her face and make her listen to him. '_I know! I know you love him!_' He wants her to feel guilty. He wants her to feel the pain he feels. He's known for a while and he wants to fight with her, if only to hold onto her a little longer. But it would be a lie. He just whispers: "When does Dick need you there?"

"Five minutes ago," Artemis frowns slowly; hesitantly. He nodded but remained silent. He sat back down on the couch and rested his head in his hands; not offering her a farewell. The blonde nodded her head to herself and turned to the front door. She pulled it open and, without a glance back or a single goodbye, she shut it behind her. Leaving behind Wally, her retirement, her life.

Although she left physically, Wally was already gone a long time ago.

**_is that alright?_**

She kissed him. His lips, his jaw line, his neck. He almost felt guilty.

He lay on his back on the bed he once shared with Artemis; Zatanna hovered above him. She peppered small, sweet kisses over his face, as if she was trying to count every one of his freckles with her lips. His arms gripped her hips, steadying her.

Wally's mind wandered for a moment, trying to remember how he got here. What excuse he had – but the speedster couldn't think of anything. Even before Artemis was called away to the mission, he and Zatanna had grown closer. He hadn't meant for it to happen, it just - _happened_; it seemed to him like that's how it always seemed to happen. By accident.

The two worked together a lot when looking for the Original Roy. He may not have believed in magic before, but – although he would never admit it to her – he was starting to warm up to the idea.

"What's wrong?" Wally shook his head and snapped back to reality by a soft, sweet voice. He couldn't help but compare the voice to Artemis' husky one. He focused on Zatanna. She smiled down at him, but she looked nervous.

He threw her a lop-sided grin, "Nothing, babe. I was just thinking."

She frowned and sat up, tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear. "About Artemis?"

"What?" Wally sat up quickly, nearly knocking the magician off balance. He chuckled as she righted herself, still perched in his lap. Her thighs rested on either side of hi and he reveled in her proximity. "No, why would you ask that?"

"Llet em eht hturt," she whispered abruptly, her eyes brimming with tears. She

Wally frowned, "I love you." His eyes grew wide. Did he just say that? The words tasted foreign on his tongue. "I love you," he said again. Wally smiled and his heart fluttered in his chest. He kissed her cheek. "I love you." Zatanna let out a squeal. "I love you," he placed a sloppy kiss on her chin. "I love you!" He chuckled and crushed her into his chest, savoring the vibration of her laugh.

Wally couldn't help the small smile that found itself on his face.

**_is that alright with you?_**

**_no._**

* * *

_lyric explanation: when a couple is together for a long time but not married/engaged people tend to tell them to "pull the trigger" like just do it. But their relationship isn't going anywhere and neither are committing to the other. "If you won't marry me how am I supposed to stay in this relationship?" They have a loaded gun but neither will pull the trigger_.

* * *

loving him was her ninth crime

**A/N**

originally written: 4/2014  
edited: 10/2015

I had a really hard time writing this piece. I love all of the characters so much and I hate to think of any of them as cheaters but during the second season with Artemis going onto the ship there were so many subtle hints. Her and Kaldur were a possibility (Black Manta even pointed out that Kaldur seemed to like her a lot) or maybe Dick sent her on the mission because he loved her - there are so many conspiracy theories out there. Spitfire will forever be my number one ship, but I can't deny the little things here and there.

Traught is my guilty pleasure

Natalie  
the speed force

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**SPECIAL THANKS TO _itsasuperherothing _for being the greatest editor/beta/idea-giver EVER**


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